Recounts the landmark case of Pierce v. Society of Sisters. Reminds readers that parental choice of an appropriate education for their children is a constitutional right and liberty under law and must be sustained. Asserts that true choice will occur only when consensus on public funding issues of school choice (including private and Catholic…

Suggests that mandatory placement of underprepared students in developmental courses may actually provide the key to opening the door to true academic, vocational, or community success, despite criticism by some that it excludes students and restricts their freedoms. Discusses ethical balances between access, student success and academic…

Investigates the role of political factors in the allocation of educational opportunities in state-socialist Czechoslovakia. Indicates that educational reforms introduced after the communist seizure of power in 1948 reduced inequalities in the allocation of schooling at the secondary level but not at the tertiary level. (CMK)

Describes four Australian initiatives that incorporate nontraditional approaches to education: (1) multiple and flexible pathways; (2) virtual schools; (3) workplace-based learning convergence; and (4) community of knowledge builders. Asserts that the particulars of these four initiatives can offer important points to the discussion about broader…

Examines how various school choice policies make tradeoffs among three liberal goals: equality of educational opportunity, social diversity, and parental rights. Discusses the appropriate role of the state in education by analyzing competing concepts of liberalism. Concludes with a proposal for a voucher program that will assist in advancing…

Compares the ideas and conclusions presented in "School Choice and Culture Wars in the Classroom: What Different Parents Seek from Education" (SO 532 108) to "Liberal Equity on Education: A Comparison of Choice Options." (SO 532 109) Argues that these authors want to achieve the authentic common good and simultaneously respect those people with…

Discusses the events that lead up to the creation of higher education in Russia, such as the development of a school of mathematics and navigation science, garrison and admirality schools, the Rostov School, and the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Explains that higher education institutions were originally created in order to train…

States that the International Working Men's Association (IWMA) presented itself as an association wanting to implement a new type of society that was classless and socialist. Explains that education was a topic addressed by IWMA and explores the topic of education at the IWMA general congresses. (CMK)

Career Academies offer high schools--particularly those in urban communities that struggle to keep students in school and to prepare them for post-secondary education and employment opportunities--a systematic approach to addressing a range of challenges. Typically serving between 150 and 200 students from grades 9 or 10 through grade 12, Career…

Questions about how student financial aid and the costs of attending college influence educational opportunity for diverse racial groups have lurked beneath the surface of the policy debates about higher education for decades. When the Higher Education Act (HEA) was passed in 1965, there was a general acceptance that the federal government had a…

This article describes an intervention program designed at a small rural school in Western Maryland to help word callers (students who can decode words easily but seem unable to comprehend). The ultimate goal of this program was to teach these children to become reflective readers with the confidence to participate in literature discussion groups…

This article raises questions about the degree of equity of higher education in Portugal. It is based on research that the author conducted in 1995 and 1996. From diversified indicators, namely the academic level and social class of the parents of university students in particular, and the Portuguese population, the author concludes that, in…

An examination of six urban Canadian school districts' policies and co-curricular programs for safe and inclusive schools shows contrasting implicit patterns of citizenship education. Peacekeeping-oriented districts relied heavily on standardized control and exclusion to achieve school safety and allocated few resources to affirming diversity.…

The population in rural areas of Australia has been declining for many decades and it has become common practice to blame this decline on the migration of young people due to structural limitations (e.g. education and employment). This study explores factors associated with migration of youth from rural Victoria looking at their experience of…

Both Kerala and Finland have made notable achievements in the realm of literacy: Kerala has one of the highest rates in the developing world and Finland ranks first in literacy among developed countries. Both also share a cultural history of granting women a high status in their respective societies. Using Kerala and Finland as examples, this…